Tuesday marked the official onset of the college football offseason with the release of the first way-too-early rankings for the 2026 season.
Ole Miss football sat in a sweet, sweet spot at No. 9 in ESPN's early Top 25, which isn't bad, but could have been definitely better were it not for some unfortunate factors holding it back.
The Rebels could have easily gone for the No. 6 or No. 7 spot, or even higher in the Top 5, given how Pete Golding navigated the squad to a stunning semifinals CFP run after the most dramatic head coaching change right before the Playoff.
Locking down some solid defensive pieces in the transfer portal was another added reason why the team deserved a higher ranking.
However, right towards the end of the transfer portal cycle, the Rebels were dealt back-to-back unfortunate news that translated to a direct hit on their rankings.
1. Trinidad Chambliss
The first, and obvious one, is the NCAA denying QB Trinidad Chambliss' waiver for an additional year of eligibility.
The impending verdict of the lawsuit will largely decide how the Rebels open their 2026 season. Without Chambliss, Golding's best bet at QB would be Auburn transfer Deuce Knight, who has yet to show those promising numbers.
If Chambliss were to lose the lawsuit, Ole Miss would easily fall out of the Top 10 in the preseason rankings.
2. Roster mass exodus
The second big reason is Golding's roster suffering a horrific mass exodus right when the transfer portal was about to close.
The Rebels' head coach lost some of his most established pieces, including Princewill Umanmeilen and Cayden Lee, as well as his defensive cornerstone, the SEC's leading tackle, TJ Dottery.
While he still has envious players like Kewan Lacy, Suntarine Perkins, and Will Echoels sitting strong in his lineup, the transfer portal loss will undoubtedly affect where Ole Miss sits in the rankings.
Since Golding can't do much about the transfer portal opt-outs now, a lot rides on what Chambliss' verdict turns out to be.